Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-06-21
A PHENOMENAL VISITOR.
A Detached Hail-storm from the East
.Qninx - the Feather River Dixtrict.

doing Z" the Feather River District.
EDS. RECORD UNION: The hail-storm of |
the 10th was the most violent and disas- |
trous that ever occurred here. The length
of time during which hail was precipitated
was over three hours--a feature of the
storm which also has no precedent in this
vicinity, if in the State. When done fall
ing nothing in tae shape of vegetation was
free from the traces which these white
grapeshot of the skies had left. Whole
fields of barley were stripped entirely clean
of the heads, and nothing was left standing
but the bare straw. In other fields the
grain was knocked flat to the ground, with
| only here and there a head remaining on
the stalk. With wheat fields the effect was
the same, except that the destruction was
not quite so complete, owing most likely
/; TO its being not quite so far advanced as
[ the barley.
What fruit was not pounded off the trees
was picked full of holes SO that it resen-
hled the effect of a charge of shot. Corn
was stripped as if with knife, and every
sort of vegetable suffered. To the small
animals of the earth ii was death. Chickens,
birds, rabbits, gophers, young pigs, etc,
were found lifeless IN quantities after the
storm.
The storm gave ample warning of its ap-
proach. The morning opened GEAR, with
a temperature of 500, and a gentle south
wind blowing at the rate of six miles per
hour. There had been a smart shower at
1850 P. NJ. the night before, and around
the horizon yet hung a fringe OF clouds.
at 10 o'clock a low rpmbling in the
west gave token of thunder, and an ob-
servation made at that time showed a
small point of black cloud fringed with
fleece. Thesefleecy clouds rapidly devel
oped. until they covered all the visible sky.
frequent with faint flashes of lightning at
1890 ?. N. The sky speedily blackened as
the heavy, hail-bearing cloud came up
against the wind, which was now blowing
quite fresh from south. The mercury had
risen to73o at 1:3o, when the first drops of
rain began to fall. In five or ten minutes
more small hail-stones became frequent,
shaped like'small corks for vials the larger
end being snowy, and the point or smaller
diameter being crystallized. At las these
had increased in size, and came SO fast that
they ratified on roofs like so much gravel
being dumped there. In five minutes
more the cloud burst, and emptied its con-
tents on US so fast that everything living
fed for shelter.
The temperature rapidly fell to 500, and
the ground soon became white with hail.
The rattle of the thunder was appalling and
the lightning vivid. For two hours the
hail and rain continued to fall with una
bated vigor, until it lay three inches deep
on the ground, and the streets were like
rivers. In places like the intersection of
roofs the hail piled ND to the depth OF
, eighteen inches, and could have been gath
cred by the ton. 1t varied in size from
peas to waInuts, and was of all shapes, and
generally bearing the characteristic noticed
, before, of being frozen solid on one side
! and imperfectly CONCEALED on the other.
AT 3 p. NJ. an attempt was made to reach
the rain guage, which is situated on ROOT
twenty-four feet from the ground. But the
wind (which at that time had increased to
sixty miles per hour, the rain and hail
drove the observer back, but not until he
, had seen that the guage was full aud run
ming over. Its capacity is 1.70 inches-so
more than that amount had fallen in an
5 hour and half. 1t is safe to say that the
amount precipitated during the storm was
4 three inches-nearly an inch an hour for
the three and half hours fall.
I The wind during the last hour fell to
, iiftesn miles, and hauled to east, the tenn
8 nerature rising at p NJ. to 53o.
, Observers situated a mile or more from the
g river saw two clouds, one seemingly above
t the other, which came together over the
5 town and adjacent country at the time oil
tne greatest 1all. tOr q distance OF Hve
miles below town to the same distance
, above, the hail was felt in its severity. ex-
5 tending back from the river varying dis
lance of from half mile to two miles
7 nearly every growing thing in the limits OF
this district suffered more or less, the loss,
in all probability. reaching $50, 600.
The damage and disappointment were
: keenly felt by many who were intending
J to put their headersinto the fields next day,
= such an event, at such a time, never being
t anticipated or supposed to be in the bounds
, of probability. Fer thirty-six hours after
ward hail-stones were picked up, and the
: fields were soft and covered with the water
which had been unable to run off Head
ing consequently has been delayed a week
or more in those places where anything is
left TO head. 1t is fortunate that the hail
t spent its fury before reaching the extensive
, wheat fields east of the river, as the dam
age would have been incalculable Mos
OF them got severe drenching, but escaped
with loss variously estimated at from to
! 10 per cent, and the delay of harvesting it
Doubtless the storm Will go on record as
} the severest ever experienced in California
IN the month of June. A. PENDLEToN.
? NicOlaus Cal Juue 16 1897